Government of Canada’s Definition of Family
Vanier Institute of Family Functional Definition of Family
• Any combination of 2 or more persons who are bound together over time by ties of mutual consent
• Birth/adoption/placement together
• Assume responsibilities for one or more of:
○ Physical maintenance and care of group members
○ Addition of new members through procreation or adoption
○ Socialization of children
○ Social control of members
○ Production, consumption, distribution of goods and services
○ Affective nurturance - love
Increased ___ in the 1980’s and 1990’s
cohabitation
Increase in ___
divorce
more equitable ___
family laws
characteristics of healthy families
What is central and most important for the healthy development of children?
The parent-child relationship
In all cultures, grandparents influence children’s development ___
indirectly and directly
The definition of the family that the government uses severs which following purpose
Development of policy and future planning
The cognitive/social input is more important than
The size of family, the cultural practices and the family structure
autocratic parenting - Hobbesian perspective (20th century)
○ Taming of the child’s will
○ Religious and cultural mandate
○ Miniature monarchy
○ Unquestioned obedience of children
autocratic parenting - Calvinist doctrine (20th century)
○ Inherent sinfulness of child
○ Firm discipline, corporal punishment
○ Strict obedience and submission
Three outstanding features of parent-child relations
○ Developmental parenting
○ Bidirectional parenting
○ Life span parenting
Sigmund Freud (1930’s)
- Detrimental effect of harsh parenting
John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth (1940’s)
Rene Spitz (1950’s)
Importance of responsiveness - crucial to development
Benjamin Spock (1940’s-70’s)
- Influenced parenting styles
B.F. Skinner (20th century)
Bandura and Walters (1960’s)
Social learning theory - children can learn even without direct instruction, they can learn a lot from interacting with the environment and observing
Erik Erikson (1960’s)
Psychosocial maturity through resolution of stage-specific crisis
Maria Montessori (1909)
Caroline Pratt (1948)
Importance of play - childhood work is learning through play
Jean Piaget (1960’s-70’s)
Cognitive development - children are active participants in their own learning
Lev Vygotsky (1978)